My journey began as an undiagnosed child
My passion for supporting neurodivergent individuals was inspired by the challenges I faced growing up as an undiagnosed, multiply-neurodivergent (Dyslexic AuDHD) child in a world that misunderstood me and prioritised compliance.
As a child, I had endless energy, a body that needed to move and fidget, an innovative mind full of ideas, sensory sensitivities, a need for predictability, and challenges with reading, writing, and concentrating.
I vividly remember my first day of primary school—struggling to sit still and focus, and the frustration in my teacher’s voice when she sent me outside for ‘misbehaving.’
As I got older, school became even harder, and I began to disengage and lose confidence.
In high school, I was failing most of my subjects and was at risk of dropping out. Learning felt inaccessible, and I thought I was “dumb”, which severely impacted my self-esteem. Most of my teachers had given up on me, and I could feel their frustration and dislike.
A neurodivergent and neuro-affirming mentor
My path changed when I met Ms. Von, a neurodivergent art teacher who took me under her wing. Her warmth, acceptance, and support was life-changing. She introduced me to photography, allowing me to channel my creativity and visual learning style. I enjoyed spending hours in the quiet photography darkroom, a sensory break from the bustling school environment.
By tapping into my strengths and my visual and interest-based nervous system, I began to excel, winning awards and scholarships, and my confidence grew.
I had never considered university, assuming I wasn’t capable. But Ms. Von saw my potential and encouraged me. She shared stories about her daughter, an art therapist in the UK working with neurodivergent young people, and encouraged me to pursue a similar path.
Inspired, I passed my bursary and went on to complete eight years of study across three universities. Ms. Von supported me throughout, attending many of my exhibitions until her passing from cancer shortly before I completed my master’s degree.
My lived experience and affirming mentorship from Ms Von put me on the path to a two-decade career as an arts therapist and counsellor, working with neurodivergent individuals and culminating, eventually, in my own formal neurodivergent diagnosis at 40 (2024).
A neurodivergent and neuro-affirming mentor
My path changed when I met Ms. Von, a neurodivergent art teacher who took me under her wing. Her warmth, acceptance, and support was life-changing. She introduced me to photography, allowing me to channel my creativity and visual learning style. I enjoyed spending hours in the quiet photography darkroom, a sensory break form the bustling school environment.
By tapping into my strengths and areas of interest, I began to excel, winning awards and scholarships, and my confidence grew.
I had never considered university, assuming I wasn’t capable. But Ms. Von saw my potential and encouraged my strengths. She shared stories about her daughter, an art therapist in the UK working with neurodivergent young people, and encouraged me to pursue a similar path.
Inspired, I passed my bursary and went on to complete eight years of study across three universities. Ms. Von supported me throughout, attending many of my exhibitions until her passing from cancer shortly before I completed my master’s degree.
My lived experience and affirming mentorship from Ms Von put me on the path to a two-decade career as an arts therapist and counsellor, working with neurodivergent individuals and culminating, eventually, in my own formal neurodivergent diagnosis at 40 (2024).
Training – 2004-2012
Motivated by my late success in high school, I pursued training as an Arts Therapist and Counsellor, completing a three-year Clinical Master of Arts Therapy, a four-year Bachelor of Visual Arts and a Certificate in Counselling Theory. An incredible neuro-affirming supervisor and mentor, Caroline Miller, supported me on this journey.
These qualifications earned me full professional memberships with the New Zealand Association of Counsellors (NZAC) and the Australian, New Zealand, and Asian Creative Arts Therapies Association (ANZACATA).
Recognising how easily many neurodivergent individuals could express themselves through visual, sensory, kinesthetic, and creative means, I centered my approach on creative expression and communication methods that extend beyond verbal interaction.
First steps – 2009-2013
Group arts therapy with neurodivergent youth and adults
After completing my postgraduate training, I initiated a range of group art therapy programmes at Māpura Studios. These were specifically designed for autistic and neurodivergent children and young people. The objective was to cultivate safe and neuro-affirming spaces where individuals could connect authentically and express themselves creatively. This role extended into facilitating inclusive, multi-modal art therapy programs for people of all ages, diversities, and needs. Many of these groups continue successfully today.
First steps – 2009-2013
Group arts therapy with neurodivergent youth and adults
After completing my postgraduate training, I initiated a range of group art therapy programmes at Māpura Studios. These were specifically designed for autistic and neurodivergent children and young people. The objective was to cultivate safe and neuro-affirming spaces where individuals could connect authentically and express themselves creatively. This role extended into facilitating inclusive, multi-modal art therapy programs for people of all ages, diversities, and needs. Many of these groups continue successfully today.
Next Steps – 2013-2017
Autism Education and Support
My journey then led to a multi-professional role at IDEA services, providing early support to families with autistic children.
I engaged with communities and collaborated within family homes and schools to increase autism understanding, deliver individualised support strategies, and support child and family wellbeing.
Additionally, I established a specialised arts therapy service at IDEA for autistic and neurodivergent children and their families.
Publishing My Learnings
With the support of my supervisor Caroline Miller, I also wrote about my work in two arts therapy texts published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers in London:
Miller, C., (Ed) (2013). Assessment and Outcomes in the Arts Therapies – A Person-Centered Approach. Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
Miller, C., (Ed) (2016). Arts Therapists in Multidisciplinary Settings – Working Together for Better Outcomes. Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
Private Practice- Supervision and Training
In 2016, I expanded into part time private practice. This involved providing professional supervision for counsellors, arts therapists, and students. I also delivered autism professional development training.
Explore Specialist Advice – 2017-2024
Autism Education and Parent Support
Subsequently, my path brought me to Explore Specialist Advice, where I worked offering government-funded autism parent education, group facilitation, targeted parent support, behaviour support, and supervision.
Neuro Affirming Futures – 2024 and Beyond
The Need for a Paradigm Shift
Over the last 20 years, I’ve had the privilege of collaborating with and learning from hundreds of neurodivergent individuals, their families, and the professionals supporting them. I’ve listened to their stories, felt their struggles, and witnessed the challenges of raising neurodivergent children in a neuro-normative world—often without adequate support, understanding, or acceptance.
These humbling experiences have profoundly shaped my practice, clarified the values that guide my work, and underscored what truly matters in supporting people.
More recently it has been hard to overlook the stark reality revealed by research and the voices of neurodivergent lived experience. This includes a high prevalence of mental distress, addiction, trauma, school exclusions, poor educational outcomes, suicidality, incarceration and unemployment within the neurodivergent community.
The voices of neurodivergent individuals and whānau, and the statistics, are sending us a clear message—across education, health, and related services, in our support of neurodivergent people, we are not getting it right.
As individuals, parents, professionals, services, leaders, and communities, it’s crucial that we reflect on our approaches and make significant changes. The time is now. We need to shift towards an understanding of neurodivergence as a natural and valuable form of human diversity. Neurodivergence should be celebrated, supported, and accommodated—not pathologised, changed, or masked.
We must prioritise and learn from the voices of lived experience, allowing neurodivergent individuals to lead and educate on how they wish to be supported. This means fostering positive self-identities through affirming language and goals, reducing experiences of distress, supporting co-regulation, educating those in support roles on best practices, and adapting systems and environments to be more supportive and inclusive.
As the neurodiversity movement gains momentum, and the voices of lived experience grow louder, we will see increasing resistance to non-affirming language, goals, processes and expectations.
My experiences as a professional, a mother, and my recent confirmation of my own neurodivergence through a diagnosis in 2024 has inspired this next chapter in my career and the creation of my re branded business, Neuro Affirming Futures.
My goal is to inspire intersectional neuro-affirming futures and create neuro-inclusive environments and communities where diversity of all is kids is embraced. I advocate for systemic change, working toward a future where neurodivergent individuals are fully embraced and supported to flourish authentically.
More Questions?
Please feel free to contact me, Abi Raymond, if you have questions about the way Neuro-Affirming Futures approaches support in the neurodiversity space.